China could have air superiority over Taiwan by 2005
Taiwan President Warns of China Military
Threat
LUNGTAN, Taiwan (Reuters) - Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian
warned on Tuesday of China's growing military power, saying it was
increasingly evident the island's giant communist neighbor sought
conflict.
``Communist China has in recent years actively developed its military
hardware and expanded its military force, and its attempt to attack
Taiwan is more obvious than in the past,'' Chen said during a tour of
the army headquarters in the northern county of Taoyuan.
Chen, who took office in May in Taiwan's first ever democratic
transfer of power, said building a formidable army capable of repelling
any Chinese landing was the island's last line of defense in the event it
lost its domination of the skies and the seas.
Chen said Taiwan should maintain a fighting force capable of
``immediately going into combat'' to thwart any invasion attempt by
the People's Liberation Army -- the world's biggest armed forces with
2.5 million men.
Taiwan, with a population of 23 million people and 400,000-strong
armed forces, has been estranged from mainland China since the
Nationalists lost a civil war to the Chinese Communists and fled into
exile on the island in 1949.
Chen swept to power in presidential elections in March, ending more
than five decades of Nationalist rule.
In Beijing, a Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated a warning against
Taiwan independence.
``China has always been working for peaceful reunification under the
'one country, two systems' formula,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun
Yuxi told reporters.
Hong Kong and Macau reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 and last
year under the formula which granted them a large degree of
autonomy.
``However, we do not renounce the use of force, in order to counter
Taiwan independence. Advocating Taiwan independence will lead to
war,'' Sun said.
Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has threatened to
attack if the island declares independence or drags its feet on
reunification.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have been simmering since Chen
of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won
the elections, but have eased somewhat after he held out olive
branches.
BREAK STALEMATE?
On Tuesday, Frank Hsieh, the chairman-designate of the DPP and
the mayor of the southern port city of Kaohsiung, said he hoped to
visit China this month to try to break a stalemate in bilateral ties.
But there was no indication the government would ease a
decades-old ban on trips to the mainland by senior officials, including
mayors, any time soon.
Hsieh, the newly elected DPP chairman, said he had decided to
accept an invitation from the mayor of Xiamen to visit the
southeastern Chinese port city, formerly known as Amoy.
``I hope to use 'city diplomacy' to break the impasse between the two
sides of the Taiwan Strait,'' Hsieh told reporters in comments
broadcast on Taiwan television.
``Of course it will be a big breakthrough. This is something that takes
courage to do,'' Hsieh added.
There was no immediate confirmation of an invitation from the Xiamen
mayor.
China has shut its door on DPP leaders, demanding that it drops its
pro-independence platform.
The Chen administration has called for the two rivals to resume
dialogue, but Beijing insists Taiwan must embrace its cherished ``one
China'' principle that there is but one China, of which Taiwan is a part.
Chen has flatly rejected Beijing's ``one China'' policy, saying it can be
the agenda of talks but not the precondition.
Beijing angrily froze bilateral talks with Taipei last July after then
President Lee Teng-hui demanded political parity.
-----------------------------
Taiwan: China Is Boosting Military
By Marcos Calo Medina, 4 July 2000
LUNGTAN, Taiwan (AP) -- Taiwan's president accused China on
Tuesday of ''vigorously'' building up its military in recent years, a sign
he said showed that it has become more serious than ever about
attacking Taiwan.
President Chen Shui-bian made his comments during his first visit as
president to the army's headquarters in this suburb of the capital,
Taipei.
One theme of his trip was that Taiwan still faces a Chinese threat. He
said the army was crucial to the defense of the island, which split from
China amid civil war in 1949.
''In recent years, communist China has been vigorously developing its
forces and weaponry and strengthening its military power,'' Chen said
in a speech to officers. ''This makes its intention to invade Taiwan
more obvious than ever before.''
China has been aggressive in building up its arsenal of missiles and
buying Russian-made destroyers and fighter jets to counter Taiwan's
U.S.-made planes and ships. Military analysts have predicted that
China could have air superiority over Taiwan by 2005.
Last month, Chen commented that the decisive battles with Chinese
forces would be fought in the air and water and that Taiwan's air force
and navy would become more crucial to the defense of Taiwan.
But on Tuesday, Chen stressed the need for all of Taiwan's forces to
be ready to engage Chinese forces. He also said he wanted to
modernize the army with tanks and other new equipment.
Taiwan's defense budget is $12.6 billion, or 18 percent of the total
national budget.
The army has long been the most influential branch of the Taiwanese
military, which was established on the mainland and moved to Taiwan
after its defeat in the civil war with the communists.
China has threatened to invade Taiwan if the island declares
independence or indefinitely postpones reunification. In recent
months, Beijing stepped up pressure on Taiwan to reunify.
Most Taiwanese oppose reunification as long as China is communist.
Since Chen was elected in March, he has struggled to find a way to
start talks with Chinese leaders. The main hindrance has been a
long-standing dispute over Taiwan's political status.
Chinese leaders want Chen to agree that Taiwan is an inseparable
part of ''one China'' before talks begin.
However, Chen fears that endorsing the principle would mean he
agrees that the communist government in Beijing is the lawful ruler of
Taiwan.
In Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun
Yuxi said: ''The ball is in Taiwan's court. The Taiwan side should
accept the one China principle as soon as possible. Only by so doing
can the two sides resume discussions as soon as possible.''
Sun indicated that China was waiting for initiatives from President
Chen. China's policy remained one of ''listening to his words and
watching his deeds,'' Sun said.
Sun said China remained committed to peaceful unification but would
not renounce force as an option in bringing Taiwan to heel.
The military threat is aimed at deterring a permanent and formal split
from China, Sun said, adding: ''Taiwan independence means war.' |
